


An Evening Interrupted

by Roxirin



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet/Happy Ending, Interrupted Sex, M/M, Sex, Wangst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-17 00:42:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14176848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roxirin/pseuds/Roxirin
Summary: Wangst. Explicit at the start, read at your own risk.





	An Evening Interrupted

Okay, so they'd had a couple of drinks. And he'd kept giving Barnum the eyes. So why was Phillip even remotely surprised when they’d gone back to his house? Or when Barnum had gently walked him backwards until he buhit the wall? Or even when heated kisses had rapidly grown into all sorts of other heated things? He certainly wasn’t surprised, however, at how hot and heavy he was as the ringmaster pushed him onto his own bed, and how eager his little moans were as Phineas tugged at the waistband of his trousers.

They’d both been waiting for this for a long time. They’d done it before, of course: in a bathroom stall, against the wall of a back alley...even late at night at the side of the ring where anyone could just walk in and see. But this wasn’t like those times. This was ‘properly’, as Phillip had put it, and when Barnum raised an eyebrow in amusement, he’d explained.

“Well, P.T. Growing up in high society, you tend to get a feel for the less spoken-of aspects of courting one’s object of desire. You can’t simply ask a lady for her hand to hold and then drag her out to a back room to satiate those desires: you must set it all up first, so that when the time comes she is comfortable, in a familiar environment, and you are sure, as a gentlemen must be sure, that she is quite ready and willing for such things. No expense should be spared.”

Phineas had chuckled darkly and Phillip scowled at him. “Yes, milady.” The older man jeered, at which Phillip flushed a delicate shade of pink and refused to comment further on the matter.

And now here they were, doing just what he’d said. Doing it properly.

Phillip’s back met the crisp, clean bedsheets, and when Phineas didn’t immediately join him, he took a moment to sigh softly through his nose and enjoy their comfortable coolness. He discovered a moment later that the reason the ringmaster hadn’t joined him was because he’d been busy unbuttoning his shirt, and he now sat straddled atop Phillip almost triumphantly, looking down his partner with a quiet air of mixed amusement and superiority. “Comfortable enough, princess?” He asked, in that low tone which gave him the most delicious of chills.  
“Quite, thank you.” He responded, moving his hands to gently trace the sculpted musculature of Phin’s torso. It wasn’t long before the older man grasped his hands in his own and moved to pin them to the sheets above his head, leaning down to kiss him softly at first, at least until he parted Phillip’s lips with his tongue, listening with a satisfied hum in response to Phil’s surprised gasp.

The younger man moaned and writhed underneath him, their warm bodies grinding against each other. Eventually, Phineas could bear it no longer (he’d never been a patient man), and sat back up, tugging Phillip’s underwear off, shortly followed by his own.

The two locked eyes and both could only gasp and swear softly as Phineas slowly pushed into him, almost gently. Phillip moaned quietly for more and Phin shushed him. “No tough treatment for milady~”

Phillip grinned despite his rapidly growing lust and whacked P.T on the shoulder for his troubles. “Oh, please. I’m a grown man. I can handle i-“ Phillip was cut off as Phin leant back down to kiss him roughly, his reply barely coherent between breaths and the re-locking of lips: “Mmmmph.... as you-hhhhhh-wish...”

They fucked there, in the half-darkness of Phillip’s bedroom, silence peppered with the lewd sounds of their coupling and their soft breaths and moans. The arch of Phineas’s back every time he thrust forwards was just visible, though the two were a barely-discernible tangle of legs and warm bodies in the gloom.

Phillip felt that familiar heat start to tighten in the pit of his stomach and he pulled Barnum down to kiss him again, smiling softly through it, eyes closed.

A thin sliver of light raced along the floorboards and cut across their faces, then began to widen, and Phillip opened his eyes at the sudden brightness and then realised with a rising, clawing panic that his door was being opened. He’d thought the house was empty.

Phineas noticed, too, and ceased his motion, the two of them laying completely still, only able to watch as Mrs Carlyle peered in. “Phillip, I was calling for you, your father wants-“

Her scream spurred the two men into tense action, both moving with the sort of slowed fluidity that one employs when confronted by a wild animal. Phillip winced inwardly at the wet pop as Phin pulled out, and was extremely grateful to have the older man pass his underwear to him as his mother stood in the doorway, both hands over her mouth, looking deathly pale.

Her scream brought with it the sound of heavier footsteps ascending the stairs. “Evelyn, whatever is the mat-“ Mr Carlyle stepped into the room, but stopped abruptly at seeing his son and the infamous ringmaster, both standing there amongst crumpled bedsheets, half-clothed and looking equal parts guilty and ill at ease, their previous lust quite forgotten.

“ _Phillip_ ,” His father started, and the unhindered disgust and rage in his tone was enough to make the young man move unconsciously closer to Barnum, who had his gaze fixed in a very solemn manner on Mr Carlyle.

_“What the bloody hell is the meaning of this?!”_

Phillip panicked and glanced at Barnum for suggestions, but he was still looking at Mr Carlyle, and didn’t move.

“Father, i-it’s not what it looks like-“

He stopped himself, knowing full well that it was EXACTLY what it looked like. It looked very, very bad.

“Irredeemable.”

Mrs Carlyle spoke shakily, and it sounded like she was about to say more, but no further words came.

It didn’t matter anyway, because Mr Carlyle stalked forwards, seething, and didn’t stop until he was about three inches from Barnum’s impassive face. “What did you think you were doing with my son? You wretched, disgusting excuse for a man.” Mr Carlyle’s voice dropped from a shout to a dangerous growl. “The police will be called. You’ll never see the light of day again, you filthy street-rat. I’d have you hanged-“

“Father, _please_ -“ Phillip dared to interject, having seen the subtle shift in Phineas’s expression at Mr Carlyle’s hateful words. He wasn’t ready when his father immediately turned and backhanded him so hard across the face he nearly fell, and he flinched, raising his hands to protect himself as the older man prepared to strike him again for his insolence. The blow never came. Phillip opened one eye.

Barnum gripped Mr Carlyle’s wrist tightly, and in his gaze there was a dark and terrible look that Phil had never seen before. There was a brief struggle in which Mr Carlyle realised he was no match for someone younger and undoubtedly fitter than him, and Phineas pushed him back slightly, before releasing him and taking a step in front of Phillip, who watched from behind Barnum’s shoulder apprehensively.

“I don’t think it’d be necessary to be calling the police at this hour.”

His words were perfectly tame, but Phillip knew that tone of voice, though he’d only heard it twice before. When Phineas was mad - when he was really, truly angry. - he went quiet, and his words became full of potent venom. It was this venom he now directed at Mr Carlyle, who had noticed the dark fire in Barnum’s eyes and started to look just a little unsure of himself in the face of the ringmaster.

“Phillip and I shall be taking our leave now. “

“What?! You can’t just take him away, he’s -“

“He’s a grown man, Mr, Carlyle, and he’s free to do as he damn well pleases.” Barnum hissed, and Mr Carlyle shut up.

“Get your stuff.” Phineas said in a much softer tone, without breaking eye contact with Phillip’s father. Phillip himself blinked in confusion for a moment before realising that command was meant for him, and moved behind his partner to get the rest of their clothes together along with his more valued belongings.

The entire time he packed, the room was suffocated in deadly silence. Mrs Carlyle looked about ready to faint, and Mr Carlyle and P.T Barnum stood engaged in what appeared to be a heated staring contest. At one point, Mrs Carlyle shifted as if to move towards her son, but a warning glance from Barnum stopped her in her tracks. Neither he nor Mr Carlyle moved an inch until Phillip passed Phineas his own shirt, which he shrugged on and buttoned up without looking.

When the two of them were finally looking a little more presentable, Phineas spoke again, his words like icy daggers. “There’s no need to be concerned for your son’s safety. I shall be taking him somewhere he will be respected, not judged, kept in good health, and most importantly, loved. Which as far as I can see, _sir_ , is something he sorely lacks here.”

Phillip was touched, and he glanced from Phin to his father and back again as the former gently but firmly took his hand and started to walk forwards towards the door.

Mr Carlyle stood in their path, practically spitting with impotent rage, but his line of sight was on his son, and not the man who protected him. “Phillip, I forbid you to leave this house.”

“ _Stand aside._ ” Barnum replied, and Phillip took a deep breath and allowed himself to be led past his parents and out of the house without protest. Glancing back, he could see their two sullen, judging faces staring at him until his line of sight was broken, and he knew the image would haunt him for many years to come.

The two men walked in silence for a long while. Phin was still holding his hand almost fiercely, that dark look never leaving his face, and though Phil knew he meant no harm by it, it made him shiver a little at the raw memory of his father doing much the same when he was younger. They reached the docks, and Phineas finally let go, stopping and turning to face him.

“Phil-“ Anything he was about to say was cut off by Phillip moving to hug him, clinging to the taller man so tightly that his life might have depended on it, and closing his eyes tight shut against the tears that pricked at them and threatened to fall. “ _Phineas_ ,” He half-sobbed, half-whispered, his own voice rough with emotion. “ _Thank you._ ”

P.T hugged him back just as tightly, his expression at once shifting into one of sympathy and grief. They stayed that way for a while, until Phin pulled back slightly and gently grasped the younger man’s face in his hands so he could look at him. “Phillip, you have to promise me something.”

“Anything.” Phillip answered without a moment’s hesitation, locking gazes with his partner.

“Never go back.”

“I...I promise.” Phillip’s voice cracked and tears started to fall. They didn’t stop as Barnum leant down to kiss him, and he realised not long after that the drips falling from his chin belonged to Phineas, too.

What had started as a night full of passion had turned into one of even stronger emotions, but ultimately, it was for the best, because Phillip Carlyle was finally free.

 

 


End file.
